


encounter of the third kind

by HolyEmpress



Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-24
Updated: 2015-11-24
Packaged: 2018-05-03 05:18:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5278148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HolyEmpress/pseuds/HolyEmpress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mamoru doesn't expect to see Ibuki at the Dragon Branch in the middle of the week.</p>
            </blockquote>





	encounter of the third kind

They meet in one of the corridors of the Dragon Branch building.

He's the first one to react – there's no reason for Ibuki to be here, at this time of the day, after all,  _that weirdo had a job,_ and it's surreal, for him to manage to come at the worst possible moment like this – too slowly, sadly, because the white-haired man notices the package behind his back. 

\- What are you hiding ? Ibuki asks in a tone that sounds much nicer than usual.

As if is curiosity was genuine – off course, he should have maybe greeted him first, asked about his day, told him the motive of his visit, instead of jumping straight to _the embarassing topic_ but he still appreciates the progress. For Ibuki to _start_ their conversation was already a miracle ; for him to show interest in life, even more. The progress they've made, since their first dinner together, was barely measurable ; because somehow, even if Ibuki retained this unfathomable awkwardness, and never parted with his alien ways, something had become casual about them. 

He was almost sure, now, that he was also capable of smiling – under the right circumstances. 

So he reveals the weirdly shaped package to him – it looks  _suspicious,_ but it's not his fault if Ahsha's design is so absurdly complicated – and pushes lightly on the gift's wraping paper to showcase the softness of the thing that's inside. Ibuki's eyes light up when he understands. A plushie – off course.

(it's not the time to think about the fact that he really, really loves the unique shade of red of Ibuki's irises – he's ridiculed himself enough already)

\- It's Tokoha's birthday present, he confesses instead.

He waits for the snarky remark that doesn't come – something about the fact that he's a sappy big brother, a frivolous man and a joke as a clan leader, but Ibuki doesn't seem inclined to mock him this time.

Maybe it's not even something he enjoys – he has come to realize, thanks to his time observing the strange member of the Association, that he was more keen on showing appreciation than disdain. He just failed to do it in ways that were understandable for the average human being.

\- Then you can give this to her on my behalf, Ibuki says, handing him a small box.

He shows no sign of emotion – as always, it's extremely mechanical, dutiful even, because he's just doing what he feels that should be done, but it's no reason not to smile back at him anyways.

Because it's stupidly nice of him to care about his sister, extraordinary, that he came all the way to the Branch for this sole purpose (he has nothing to do here – he just _knows_ it, the schedule of every employee of the Dragon Empire and their activities was pretty much drilled into his brain at this point) and really, really pleasing to let himself think that caring about Tokoha's birthday could mean Ibuki had taken an interest into his life too, after all.

He doesn't mind that the young man leaves immediatly after that short exchange, and goes back to his office to secure the gift in his drawer.

 

A gift which turns out a few weeks days to be a bunch of ranunculus  _seeds._

 _(_ he was deluding himself, thinking there was some hope to make a decent boyfriend out that man)

 


End file.
